BREAKING: Brewer Sentenced To Life Without Parole In 2023 Conch Town Shooting
State did not seek death penalty; mandatory life term imposed after jury conviction
Lloyd Brewer was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2023 Super Bowl Sunday shooting death of Garrett Hughes outside the Conch Town Bar, bringing formal closure to one of the island’s most closely watched murder cases.
Brewer was sentenced Feb. 26 by Mark Jones after a 12-person jury convicted him Jan. 21 of first-degree premeditated murder in Monroe County Circuit Court.
Under Florida law, first-degree murder is punishable by life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Because prosecutors did not seek the death penalty, the life sentence was mandatory upon conviction.
The shooting occurred early on the morning of Feb. 13, 2023 — following a day of drinking and partying on Super Bowl Sunday — in the rear parking lot of the Conch Town Bar on North Roosevelt Boulevard.
Surveillance video introduced at trial showed Hughes exiting the business and walking across the lot. The footage depicted Brewer initially walking toward Hughes, then turning away before reversing course and approaching him again, according to testimony presented in court.
Prosecutors argued that as Brewer closed the distance a second time, he drew a firearm from his waistband, extended his arms into a two-handed shooting stance and fired two shots. One bullet struck Hughes in the abdomen. Despite emergency medical treatment, Hughes later died from his injuries.
Courtroom testimony established that Brewer’s statements to law enforcement did not align with the sequence of events shown on surveillance video or with eyewitness accounts presented to the jury. After the state rested its case, the defense did not present any witnesses.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield said the evidence demonstrated Brewer made a deliberate decision to reengage and escalate the confrontation with deadly force, noting that he had initially walked away before returning to confront Hughes.
Major Crimes Assistant State Prosecutor Colleen Dunne, who led the prosecution, said the shooting left lasting wounds in the close-knit Key West community. Family members and friends of Hughes attended hearings and trial proceedings throughout the case.
Brewer has the right to appeal his conviction and sentence to Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal.
The case was prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, led by State Attorney Dennis W. Ward. Authorities credited the Key West Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their roles in the investigation and trial.